Minae Mizumura writes on the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the related issues of responsibility and leadership (How to talk to a tragedy, 18 April).

Referring to the self-defence forces, the safety agencies and the national police, she states: "The public cannot escape the thought that our government leaders regard these agencies as outsiders, and that they are hesitant to take command of them. The baffling delay of the army and the police to reach the site of the disaster comes to mind." This is grossly misleading.

It is a matter of record that within four minutes of the earthquake Prime Minister Naoto Kan had set up a special disaster response unit within his office and had assumed leadership of the relief effort. Within the first hour, self-defence forces, police officers and other rescue workers were on their way to the afflicted area. In the first two days, 50,000 personnel were mobilised. So far, over 160,000 personnel have been deployed and more than 26,000 people rescued.

Of course, due to the severe damage to the transportation and communications infrastructure, responding rapidly and effectively was a huge logistical challenge. Since then the government relief operation has been running ceaselessly. Almost 26m single-meal portions of essential foodstuffs, nearly 8m bottles of drinking water and over 230,000 boxes of basic medicines, plus large quantities of other necessities, have been delivered to the affected areas.

The magnitude of the recent disaster is virtually unprecedented in modern times. The loss of life, property and the means of living has been almost unimaginable and the gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. To even suggest hesitancy within government in deploying our forces at this time of national crisis because they are "outsiders" is entirely unjustified and does a grave injustice to the thousands who have risked their lives and continue to do so to bring solace and hope to the victims of this catastrophe.

Mizumura says that, "in Japanese, [honorifics] govern every aspect of the language". She criticises the fact that chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano, who has been speaking for the government, uses phrases such as: "The honourable members of the self-defence army have most kindly agreed to send their tanks." She insists: "If you are a civil servant, refrain from showering other civil servants with honorifics when speaking in public ... Stop addressing each other in deferential language." While I understand her point as a general rule, in this exceptional instance I am hoping Edano can be excused for using language that expresses his respect for such men and women, civil servants or not, who were dedicating themselves to saving lives in extremely harrowing circumstances.

Japan's foreign minister, Takeaki Matsumoto, has said Japan will remain open for business and travel. The major highway that runs through the Tohoku region, which bore the brunt of the disaster, was reopened after only two weeks. The Shinkansen, the bullet train service that connects Tokyo and the Tohoku region, became fully operational again on 29 April. Japan's strength in manufacturing remains on full display.